Knitting-machine.



F. c. BEHM. KNITTING MACHINE.

APPUCATON HLED AUGH, I915- l,2@0.985. Patented Oct. 10,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

maea'm 6.

F. C- REHM.

KNITTING MACHINE. APPLICATH)" FILED AUG. H; 1915. 1,200,985. Patented0ct.10,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Svwudoz:

FrederickCRehn F. C. EEHM.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-11,1915.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 FEEDEBICK o. mania, or nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN,

ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO HOSIERY (10.,

DETROIT, MICHIGAN. A.,CQBPOBATION OF MICHIGAN.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern -Be'it known that I, FREDERICK C. RnHM,acitizenof the United States, residing at 'Detroit, in the. county ofWayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Knitting-Machines,

of which the following is a specification.

whereby two separate My invention relates to improvements in knittingmachines adapted to produce a knitted web having loops extending fromone face thereof, of the class disclosed in my revious Patents Nos.535,461; 619,840 and 839,200 to which reference may be had.

The object of my present invention is to provide a novel, simple andefficient means threads may be controlled and fed to the needles and theloopforming devices in such a manner as to cause the needles to act uponboth threads at certainv intervals and to act upon but one of thethreads at certain other intervals, the needles producing a plainknitted web having 1 no loose loops extending therefrom when the uponboth threads.

- the plain web needles act upon but one of the threads, and the needlesacting in conjunctionwith the loop-forming devices and producing aknitted web having the loose loops extending from one face thereof whenthe needles act Accordingly, my invention includes a thread deliverymember movable into and from an operative position and controlling thethread which produces the said loose loops, the loop-forming threadbeingdirected to the needles and the loop-forming dechine consists ofthe'elements and the ombinations of them hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is aside elevation of. a knitting machine'ombodying my invention. Fig. 2 isa sectional detail showing the wheel for controlling the loop-foun- ISpecification of Letters Patent.

.the line 5-5 of Fig.

ing thread and adjuncts. Fig. 3 is a sectlonal detail showing a part ofthe pawl and ratchet mechanism. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine.Fig. 5 is a detail, as seen from feeding devices and adjuncts.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the machine.

Fig.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916. Application filed August 11, 1915. Serial No.44,853. I

4, showing the thread I 7 is a sectional detail showing the member fordelivering the loop-forming thread to the needles, the member beingshownin the operative position by full lines and in the inoperativeposition by dot-and-dash lines.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a lower plate 2 anupper plate 3, supporting'legs '1 for the lower plate 2, and a housing 6rising from the lower plate 2 and supporting the upper plate 3.

Supported by is a shaft 7 carrying a driving which is connectedto agearwheel 9 on the shaft 7. The gear wheel 9 is in mesh with a gear wheel 10which rotates on a shaftll which turns in the hereinafter referred to,which is adapted to be engaged by a clutch collar 14 splined on the,shaft 11, whereby when the collar 14 is engaged with the gear wheel 13,and power is applied to the pulley 8, the shaft 11 will be rotated. Theshaft 11 carries a bevel gear wheel 15 coacting with a similar wheel 16which is mounted to rot-ate horizontally in the plate 3.

The gear wheel 16 carries the needle cylinder 17 having the circular setof knitting needles 18 arranged to slide vertically operated by theknitting cams 19 which are a bearing on the housing 6, pulley 8' theframe of housing 6. vThe hub 12 of the gear wheel 11 carries a gearwheel 13,

therein. The needles 18 are adapted to be fixed on the plate 3, whereby,when the.

needle cylinder 17 is rotated by the mechanism previously reciprocatethe needles 18 to effect the knitting operation, in the usual well knownmanner.

Fixed on the needle cylinder 17 is a ring 20 carrying the usualradially-movable web holders 21 which are actuated in, the usualdescribed, the cams 19 will.

manner by the cams of a cam ring 22 which is supported on the ring 20and is prevented from being rotated therewith by a "pr-st 23 rising.from the fixed plate 3 and to which the cam ring 22 is connected.

The post 23 carries an arm 24 which supports a ring 25. The ring 25surrounds the upper portion of the set of needles 18 and forms a latchguard'therefor and is pro-f vided with a thread delivery, eye 26directly above the knitting cams 19 by means of which a thread may befed to the needles 18 to be acted upon thereby 'in the usual I mannerduring the knitting operation.

The construction and operation ofthe parts thus far described arecommonand well known and no detailed description or illustration thereof isdeemed necessary herein. 1 Y I:

Secured on the ring 20 is a ring 28 having radial slots formed thereinin which a circular set of loop forming devices 29 are mounted to slideradially between the needles 18. The devices 29 are provided withupwardly projecting butts which enter a camway 31 formed in a ring 32which is supported on the ring 28. and which is pre vented from-rotatingwith the ring by the post 23 to which the ring;32.is connected.

The contour of the camway 31 is s31ch that,- during the rotation of theneedle cylinder" 17 and therewith the ring 32, the devices 29 aremaintained nonnallywithdrawn from .between the needles 18, and areprojected inwardly between the needles where the needles are lowered toform the stitches, and are withdrawn from between the needlesimmediately followingthe raising-of the needles after the formation ofthe stitches. It will therefore be understood that when a thread 33 isfed to the needles 18 above the eye 26 ,and above the devices i v 29, asshown in Fig. 5, both threads 27 and 33 will be knitted into the fabricand that the thread 33 will be drawn down between the devices- 29 andinto the fabric and thus produce the loopsi34 on the inner face of thetubular knitted fabric; and it will also be understood that after thestitches have been formed and the needles 18 have been raised to thenormal level, the devices 29 will'be withdrawn from between the needles18 to discharge the loops, after.

the formation thereof, during the knitting of each course of stitches.

The camway 31 is substantially the same as the camway 18 shown in myprevious Patent No. 839,200, and the operation of.

the devices 29 with respect to the needles 18 is substantially the sameas the parts #5 and 16, respectively, shown in my Patent No. 839,200,excepting that in the present case the set of devices 29 and the needlecyl inder 17 rotate and are operated by fixed cams, whereas, in theprevious case, the loop forming devices and the needle cylinder do notrotate and are operated by rotating cams, the difierence being areversal of the parts. a

The loop forming thread 33 is fed to the needles '18-through a tubularthread delivery member 34' secured to the inner end of an arm! 35 whichis pivoted, at 36, to a bracket 37 secured on the stationary cam ring32. This arm 35 and therewith the threaddelivery member 34 are movableon the pivot 36 from an operative position, shown by full lines in Fig.7, to an inoperative position shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 7.When the member 34 is in the operative position shown in Figs. 5 and 7,the thread '33 fed to the needles 18 between the hooks thereof and thetops of the devices 29, as

clearly shown in Fig. 5, and the loose loops arePproduced on the innerface of the tubular fabric as previouslyexplained. When, however, thearm 35 and therewith the thread 33 isprevented from reaching the needles18 between their hooks and the de 40 when the member 34 is lowered tothe" operative position, and the thread 33 entering the wide upperportion 39 when the member 34 is raised to the, inoperative position.The narrow portion 40 of the slot 38 insures the proper delivery of thethread 33 to the needles 18 when the member 34 is in theoperativeposition; and. the wide portion 39' of the slot 38 gives freeplay to the thread 33 and prevents any liability of 'it being caught bythe needlehooks and knitted into the fabric when the member 34 is in theinoperative position.

I shall now" describe the means to automatically lower and raise the arm35 and the thread, delivery member 34 into and from the operativeposition at certain predetermined intervals during the operation of themachine Mounted toturn on a shaft member-34 are in the inoperative ordot-' and-dash line position, shown in Fig. 7, the

supported in the housing 6 is a gearfivheel 41 which is actuated. by thegear wheel 13 hereinbefore referred to. The gear wheel 41 is connectedby a link 42 to a member 43 whichis mounted to reckon a shaft 44 in thehousing 6, whereby, during the rotation of the gear wheel 41, the member43 will be rocked. The member 43 carries a pivotstud '45 having a pawl46 pivoted thereon adapted to engage a ratchetwheel47 whic is mounted toturn on a shaft. 48 rotatably ,fitted in bearings in the housin -6.."Loosely mountwheel 47 and secured thereto is'a'sprocket wheel 49 whichcarries a pattern chain 50.

.ed on the shaft 48 ad acent to 'thfiiratchet at certain predeterminedintervals.

chain 50 at all times.

Therocking member 43 is always actuated during the operation of themachine and the pawl l6 is constantly in motion and in operativerelation to the sprocket wheel 47 for ratchet wheel 51 is adapted to beactuated by a pawl 52 which is pivoted on the stud 45-ofthe rockingmember 43. The pawl 52- has a lateral projection 53 which rests normallyon the arm 5% of a lever 55 which is? fulcrumed, at 56, in the housing6. The lever 55 has an arm-57 provided with :1 lateral projection 58which extends over the patternchain 50, and the lever 55 has an 1 arm 59which is connected to one end of a spring 60. The other end of thespring 60 is connected to the housing 6, and the spring 60 acts upon thelever 55 to maintain its .projection58 down upon the pattern chain 50.

.- The pattern chain 50 is provided with certain high links 61 which,when they pass under the projection 58 of the arm 57 of the lever55,.raise the arm 57 and lower the arm .5 tsu'pporting the pawl 52. Whena lowered so that the pawl will engage a tooth off the ratchet wheel 51and advance the the pawl will be prevented from actuating" the ratchetwheel 51. It will thus be seen that theshaft 48 remains 'idle 'and isslightly tiir'ned" at certain predeter mined intervals, controlled bythe pattern chain 50. The shaft 418 has a wheel 62 secured thereto whichis provided with anotch or depression (53; and resting upon the wheel(32 is the downwardly-turned end of an arm 64 which is pivoted, at 65,in the housing 6. The end of thearm-(i is adapted to .drop into thedepression 63 when the'deprcssion is moved into registry with the-arm64, and the arm 64 is adapted to be raised from the depression (33 whenthe wheel 62 is turned to move the depression 63 out of registry withthe arm 64:. Pivoted to the arm 64 is the lower end' of a rod 66, the

upper end of which is pivoted,.at 67, to the outer end of the arm 35which carries the thread delivery member 34:. Theparts are constructedand related to each other so- This the production of the heel and toe ofthe stockings.

delivery member 34: will be lowered to the operative position. It willtherefore be understood that while the depression 63 is in registry withthe arm 6%, the machine will produce a plain knitted web, and that whilethe depression .63 is out of registry with the arm 64, the machine willproduce a knitted web having the loose loops extending therefrom, and itwill also be under stood that the relativelengthsof the plain knittedweb and the web having the loose L leg portions of the stockings, wherethe stockings are knitted in a continuous tube and afterward out, topresent plain knitted fabric for the subsequent closing of the toeportions and the finishing of the ends of the leg portions of thestockings.

The rocking member 43 which actuates the pawls 4:6 and 52 has agearsector 68 .formed thereon which coacts with. a gear, high link 61 passesunder the projection 53 the arm 54 and therewith the pawl 52 are wheel69 which is loose on the shaft 11 for actuating the needle cylinder 17;and when the heel and toe portions of a stocking re knitted on themachine, the clutch col ar 14 is moved from engagement with the gearwheel 13 and into engagement with the gear wheel 69 thereby causing thesector 68,.and

gear wheel 69 to reciprocate the shaft 11 and needle cylinder 17 in theusual manner for portions I claim: 1 1. In a knitting machine, thecombination of a set of needles, means opera'tiveto deliver two separatethreads to said needles in a manner to cause saidneedles to act uponboth threads and to act upra but one of them in alternate succession forthe production of a knitted web, a set of loop forming devices adaptedto produce loose loops of one of said threads extending from-one face ofsaid knitted web. only when both threads are being acted upon by saidneedles, and means to actuate said needles and said devices for theproduction of said web and said loops.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination of a set of needles, means toautomatically deliver two separate threads to said needles in a mannerto cause said needles to act upon both threads and to act upon but oneof them in alternate succession for the production of a knitted web, aset of loop forming devices adapted to produce loose loops of one ofsaid threads extending from one face of said knitted web,- only whenboth threads are 0 being acted upon by said needles, and means toactuate said needles and said devices for the production of said web andsaid loops. f 3. In a knitting machine, the combination of a set ofneedles, aset of loop forming devices, ath'read delivery part-arrangedto deliver thread to said needles to be acted upon thereby independentlyof said devices for the production of a plain knitted web, a threaddelivery member movable into and from an operative position and adaptedto deliver thread to said needles and said devices to be acted uponthereby for the production of looseloops extendin from one face of saidknitted web, only w en said member is in its operative position, andmeans to actuate said needles and said devices'for the production ofsaid web and said loops.

4. In a knitting machine, the combination of a set of needles, a set ofloop forming devices, a thread delivery part arranged to de-'liverthread' to said needles to be acted upon thereby independently ofa plain knitted web, a thread delivery member movable into and from anoperative position and adapted to deliver thread to said needles andsaid devices tobe acted upon thereby for the production of loose loopsextending from one liver thread to said needles to be acted upon therebyindependently of said devices for the production of a plain knitted web,a thread delivery member movable into and from an operative position andadapted to deliver thread to said needles and said devices to be actedupon thereby for the production ofv loose loops-extending from one faceof.

said knitted web, only when said member is in its 0 erative position,means to actuate said nee les and said devices for the production ofsaid web and said loops, a cam actuated by said means, and meansoperated by said cam for moving said member.

6. In a knitting machine, the combination of a set of needles, a set ofloop forming devices, a thread delivery part arranged to deliver threadto said needles to be acted upon thereby independently of said devicesfor v -'the production of a plain knitted web, a

thread delivery membe movable into and from an operative position andadapted to deliver thread to said needles and said devices to be actedupon thereby for the production of loose loops extending from one faceof said knitted Web, only when said member is inits operative position,means to actuate said needles and said devices for the production ofsaid web and said loops, a cam, a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism actuated bysaid means and actuatin said cam, and means operated by said cam %ormoving said member.

7. In a knitting machine, the combination of a set of needles, aneedle-latch guard adjacent to said needles and having a slot therein, athread delivery part arranged to deliver thread to said needles to beacted upon thereby independently of saiddevices for the production of aplain knitted Web, a thread delivery member movable into and from anoperative position and adaptedto deliver thread to said needles and saiddevices to be acted upon thereb for the production of loose loops extening from one face of said knitted web, only when said member is in itsoperative position, the Wall of said slot coiiperating with said memberin delivering thread to said needles and said devices, and means toactuate said needles and said devices for the production of said Web andsaid loops, H

In testimony whereof Iaiiixfmysignature hereto.

FREDERICK C. REHMQ

